World Champion?

Congratulations Pop! My father-in-law won the USA Masters Track and Field Championships in the shotput. He now qualifies for the World Championships in Finland if he decides to go. He really wants to see what the Germans can do, but I just don't know if he could ever sit still long enough to fly to Finland. He says he will go if Bryant will go. Bryant says he's ready -- especially if he can skip school. We'll see what happens, but he keeps improving and training. I think he should go. Here is a link to an article about him. http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20090328/ARTICLES/903289946

Baseball, Soccer or Not?

When I left my house this morning to go visit the new babies in our church (a WONDERFUL blessing!), my weekend looked something like this. Carey and Bryant were going to leave Saturday to go to a baseball tournament. Ann Bennett and I were staying in town for 2 soccer games, singing and playing chimes in church on Sunday. I was planning to pick up a friend for AB while I got some work done around here.

NOW, the baseball tournament is cancelled due to the predicted rain and storms, and we have to get up at 7am to find out if AB's 9:00 game is cancelled. You have to love outdoor sports! I wish they would just make a decision now. I'd love to sleep late tomorrow. If we have to get up to see if the game is cancelled, I sure hope they play the game. Rescheduled games are a pain! Carey is really happy that Sandy, Jeff and clan are coming to visit next week. Otherwise, I think I'd be really pushing him to work on removing the tile in the hall bathroom. Oh well. Maybe I can at least get some things in order around here. Happy weekend.

Excuses, excuses

We are still here! I'd like to say that I haven't written in a while because of our computer issues. And, that is partially true, but I've also been slack - or busy with life. Soccer started for Ann Bennett, and both recreation and travel baseball have started for Bryant. Add in work, school, church, choir and homework, and you pretty much get what we have been up to these days.

Mom, Sandy and Mitzi met me in Myrtle Beach for our church's annual women's retreat in Myrtle Beach the last weekend in February. What a blessing. Last year Mom, Sandy and I were set to go to the retreat, but we were obviously not able to make it. At the time, I didn't think we would ever be able to go to one together. Mom was still inpatient and was very slowly responding to any rehab when the retreat occurred. What a difference a year, lots of prayer and God's healing can make! I'm so thankful we were able to be together and thankful Mitzi was able to come this year. It was a really good weekend.

Mitzi and Sandy drove home on Sunday in a blizzard (see Sandy's blog for pics). Thankfully we had already arranged for Mom to stay with us the following week. Having her here was such a treat. It made me realize why I get so little done in a week. Her pace is amazing, but it is not quite what it used to be or our pace. Thinking about activities through her perspective made me realize that although I have tried to drop things from my life, I still have a lot of obligations. It was really nice to get that perspective, but mostly it was really good just to have Sue Sue visit. She impressed so many people here in NC. She even volunteered in Ann Bennett's 1st grade classroom. Once my computer is repaired I'll try to add some pictures.

More December Fun

When we moved into our house 8 Christmases ago, I knew right where the Christmas tree would go - in front of a window in the living room, and it has been there every year. But, we always miss having the lights in our family room. However, I did not have the energy to put lights on 2 trees. (One day I'll blog about my light journey, but not today.) Anyway, along came pre-lit Christmas trees. If there was ever something to tempt me away from live trees, that is it! This year, I found a skinny, pre-lit, cheap tree for our family room. We have so many homemade ornaments that are perfect in the family room. I still had a few on the "real" tree, but most of the homemade ones were in the family room with us this year. You can sort of see the tree behind the kids. This is a great picture because it captures a spontaneous moment of sibling love! The kids argue so much, this is a great reminder that at times they can get along!

Here's a picture of the tree in the living room with a flash.

Here's one without a flash. Which do you like better?

Miss Preston is our super hero 1st grade teacher. Bryant had her, and we fell in love with her. She has babysat for us each summer, puppy and kitty sat for us and in general become a treasured part of our family. We are so happy that Ann Bennett is able to have her as a teacher this year. We have certainly had our issues with the kids' school, but 1st grade with Miss Preston is a respite in the storm! One of the things she does is called Christmas Around the World. She divides the students into 4 groups. Each group presents information about that country to the "audience." She gives each parent a passport, so after the presentation, you visit each country to have your passport stamped. She ends the day with a party with foods from as many countries as possible. That part falls to parents, but she coordinates it. One of the great things about both children having the same teacher is you end up with the same artwork -- like the Christmas trees on the board behind AB. Christmas trees with lights started in Germany.

Frances, AB and Preston at the party.

Halo Hoops basketball started this month as well. Halo Hoops is similar to Upward, but it was started locally. It is an amazing program, and I love basketball season. It is the only season that we have 1 practice and 1 game a week. It is not controlled by weather, so there are no changes. It is completely predictable, and we have a great coach. He somehow manages to coach, teach and motivate without ever raising his voice. I wish I could be more like him! Bryant is going to kill me for posting this picture, but I love it. He often hangs his stuff up the night before a game. It's kind of like his locker. Plus, I love pictures of sleeping children. It is a gift of God to see children sleep. They look so angelic and make it easy to forget the conflicts from earlier in the day!

We were supposed to leave for Atlanta on Saturday before Christmas right after Bryant's basketball game. But, we made the decision to wait until Sunday morning, and it was one of those decisions that relieved the Sasser stress ten fold! It meant we had some sleep that week, and I was not furious with everyone when we left. Plus, it meant Ann Bennett and I were able to go see Annie with her friends. Thank you Wendy and Anne Cathryn. AB loved it. All the girls did. They were fascinated. This picture was at intermission.

AB, Frances, Anne Cathryn, Lydia and Ella -- all looking a little too grown up!

AB and Annie. AB wanted to meet her so badly, but when we got to her, she was so nervous she couldn't speak. Apparently Annie just moved her from Los Angeles. She was really good.

We Even Saw Santa

Every year except last year and this year, we have gone to breakfast with Santa at the club. But, for the past 2 years we have missed it because of baseball. This year, we went to see Enchanted Airlie with Pop and Nana. (We missed Nancy and Bro and the cousins but hope they can make it next year.) Airlie Gardens is a public garden they decorate every year for Christmas, and let me tell you, Santa is wonderful! The little boy before us asked Santa for a wii, and he kept telling him the bathroom was just outside the tent. We were all chuckling. When our kids got to Santa, I wasn't sure how it would go. Let's just say that Santa knew exactly what to say to my kids. He told them to stop fighting with each other and to stop whining. Let me just say that those 2 behaviors had been in full swing in our house, so he couldn't have encouraged our parenting any more! Ann Bennett was so surprised that she would hardly talk to him. It was a great memory.

They also have really cool model train scenes set up. They apparently have one of the largest outdoor tracks in the US or maybe the southeast, I don't remember. But, all of us enjoyed watching them. There is something very calming about watching the trains. I had a hard time getting a good picture of the tracks, but I thought the blurry one below was kind of cool.

Ann Bennett LOVES to have her picture taken beside any statue, and it seems that lights are perfect for pictures as well.

This is the only picture I have with Nana and Pop. Can you believe how bad it is? I need a new camera! But, I think it is kind of down the list.

Bryant took this picture.

Finally, I just think this is a cool picture. I hope you enjoy your Christmas lights in February.

Christmas Did Happen

I know it is now February, so a Christmas post is too old. But, oh well. That seems to be the norm around here. We had a really good Christmas. After the year we had, it made Christmas all the more special. We started December with a baseball tournament in Myrtle Beach -- on my birthday of course. Tournaments are common in our house, but the MB one is always fun because we stay at a great place (http://www.dunesvillage.com/) that is cheap in December and has an amazing indoor water park. The kids have fun playing with their friends, and we never even have to put on our bathing suits. This year it was special because Mom and Randy were able to meet us there! Mom has wanted to come watch Bryant play since we played in MB in July. She was not ready for the trip at that time, and she was very disappointed. Some of Randy's family live in MB, so he had a chance to visit with them. We all watched some VERY cold baseball, and they came back home with us for a few days before heading back to their home. I managed to forget to take a single picture at the ballpark. I guess it feels like I've taken a gazillion pictures at baseball parks and didn't consider I might want a picture of Mom at the game. I did get a picture of them at our house. Mom kept me running all week, but we got a lot of shopping done. Mom also managed to help Bryant with his science fair project which involved making homemade ice cream.

BC, AD, ITM

Bryant and I were talking about the Bible this morning, so the discussion of BC and AD came up again. I asked if he knew what each meant, and he said "Before Christ" and "After Death." I told him to think about that for a minute. If that was true, what would the time while Jesus was alive be called? He thought a minute and said, "ITM." It was my turn to say, huh, what? He said, "In The Middle." I thought it was funny and decided to share.

Just as a reminder, BC is Before Christ, but AD is anno domini, or in the year of our Lord. So, if you didn't know before, now you are ready the next time this comes up in a trivia game.